Mama Louisa’s

2041 S. Craycroft Rd.

Italian Ramen at Mama Louisa’s (Credit: Jackie Tran)

Mama Louisa’s takes an Italian take on ramen. The pork and veal stock and house-made alkaline noodles are topped with a soft-boiled egg, braised beef cheek, shaved parsnips and radish, and herb salad. The dish has been adjusted gradually since it joined the menu.

Raijin Ramen

2955 E. Speedway Blvd.

Raijin’s three spicy Tantanmen variations highlight the fiery intensity of chili peppers. If you’re easily overwhelmed by heat, don’t go hotter than the Tantanmen Regular — the Tantanmen Spicy includes habanero in the mix. The Tantanmen Akuma is more for the capsaicin sadists looking for a challenge.

Thunder Canyon features a different ramen special every Monday. The noodles are made in-house, too. The toppings are far from traditional, but the culinary team there has a trustworthy palate to adventure with.